Disclaimer: 'Chuck' and all it's affiliated characters and settings are the property of their respective owners
Disclaimer: 'Chuck' and all it's affiliated characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. This fiction is written for entertainment only.
No profit was made. Just FYI.
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"We were afraid this might happen." General Beckman sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Our research indicated that the Intersect might start exhibiting this behaviour if left long enough."
Behind her stony façade, Sarah fumed at the way they were discussing Chuck, as though he were a particularly troublesome lab animal. Through the entirety of their report on Chuck's actions, and the implications they brought forth, both General Beckman and Director Graham had maintained an overtly dispassionate, if slightly annoyed demeanour.
Beside her, although his face remained unchanged, she could hear Casey's teeth grinding in frustration. She had the sneaking suspicion that sometimes, he wanted to put his boot through the screen in front of them as much as she did.
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Chuck was feeling pretty proud of himself, all things considered. After all, it was every guy's fantasy to be able to save the damsel in distress, and be her big damn hero. What made it even better was that his damsel was a trained CIA agent, and he still got to be her knight in shining armor.
Even though he was pretty sure Sarah would've taken the guy out on her own...and he was certain he'd pulled every muscle in his leg... and his arm hurt like hell... he was still in a strutting mood.
He stood in the courtyard, chest puffed out slightly, remembering the look on her face as he'd helped her to her feet. The amazement in her eyes made him feel like a hero.
And that kiss...the feeling of her body pressed against his own...her arms wrapped around him...
He shook himself, coming back to reality.
Damsel-saving hero or not, he was already starting to get bored of waiting. Wandering over to one of Casey's windows, he crouched down to see if they were almost done with their report.
The sooner they were finished, the sooner he could see Sarah's smile again.
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"How should we proceed then, General?" Casey inquired, his tone barely civil. "Considering you saw this coming."
Beckman narrowed her eyes at Casey's tone, but didn't comment on it. "We were hoping this wouldn't happen until we had the new Intersect online. The Beta Intersect is only barely operational as it is, but circumstances have forced our hand."
Director Graham peered at the folder on his desk, flipped it closed, and looked up at the two agents. "Agents Casey and Walker, you are to terminate the Human Intersect immediately."
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Chuck felt like all the air had been knocked from his lungs.
"No..." He whispered.
Logically, he'd known this could happen one day. But the fear that his handlers might one day be ordered to execute him for national security was always a distant one, like the fear of being struck by lightning.
But to hear the words, spoken so calmly, like ordering a pizza, felt like some kind of surreal nightmare. Even now a part of his mind was screaming that it couldn't be real.
But it was, and it was happening right now. For something he had absolutely no control over.
Sarah's shocked voice brought him back to reality, and transfixed, he watched the events that would define his survival unfold before him.
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"What?" Sarah gaped at her superiors. "Could you... could you repeat that order, sir."
Graham's levelled his gaze at her. "This is nothing new to you, Walker. Now do your damn job. Graham out."
His screen went blank. Next to it, General Beckman gazed at the two of them for a moment. "This is a necessary duty, Agents. But if you feel you cannot perform it effectively..."
"No, ma'am!" Casey barked. "We'll take care of things. I guarantee it."
Beckman seemed satisfied. "Very good, Casey. I knew I could count on you. Beckman out."
As the second screen went black, Sarah turned on Casey. "What the fuck, Casey?!"
He set his jaw, looking down on the shorter woman. "We have our orders, Walker. Terminate the target. We have to carry them out."
Sarah felt ready to explode. She might not have thought much of Casey, once upon a time, but she really begun to believe he'd grown fond of Chuck. But now, with barely a word, he was ready to execute the man she'd...they'd both...come to care about.
No, Sarah thought, no way this happens.
Faster than even she thought she was capable of, her Smith & Wesson 5906 cleared it's holster and levelled on Casey's head. "Just fucking try it, Casey."
"Walker, have you lost your..."
"Shut it." She snapped. "Get your handcuffs and head for the bathroom."
"Walker, think about this." Casey said softly. "You don't want to go down this road."
"I'm pretty sure I do."
"No you don't." He insisted. "For Chuck's sake, you really don't."
The statement was so unexpected that for a second, just a second, her aim wavered. A second was all Casey needed. He pounced forward and slapped the gun from Sarah's hand, sending it careening across the floor. Before she could react, his own pistol was levelled on her. She wisely decided not to move...yet.
"Now shaddup and listen, Walker." Casey growled. "What do you think will happen if we don't do it? Huh? You think they'll just say 'Oh well', and let Chuck go on living with all our nation's secrets in his head?"
He paused, and slowly lowered his gun. "They'll come after him, Sarah. They'll hunt him to the ends of the Earth, and we both know what kind of people they'll send. The ones who live for this kind of thing, and enjoy it. The ones who make it look like an accident, or worse, a really nasty suicide."
He sat down heavily in his chair, and looked up at her. "He doesn't deserve that. Not Chuck. If he's gonna go...and he is gonna go...he deserves to go painlessly, with some goddamned dignity."
Sarah watched him closely, silently acknowledging the truth in his words. "So what now?"
He gazed at her wearily. "So if you wanna shoot me and make a run for it, then go right ahead. Hell, you might even make it. But I doubt it."
He stood, and walked toward her. "Or you can stay, and we can do this right. Like he deserves."
Sarah was silent for a long moment, and for a second or two, considered shooting Casey and going on the run with Chuck. But she knew as well as Casey what the odds of success were. As high a priority as Chuck was, they'd probably be caught before they hit the state line.
And just like that, she was defeated. Everything she'd come to hope for in the last year came crumbling down around her. Leaning forward into Casey's shoulder, she began to sob softly. An embarrassed look came over the NSA agent's face, and he awkwardly placed one arm around her shoulder as she cried.
After a little while, she managed to compose herself and pulled away. She looked up at him. "Promise me one thing?"
"What that?"
"Let me talk to him first. Let me say... goodbye, at least"
"Yeah." He gave her a sad smile. "Yeah, we can do that."
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Outside Casey's window, Chuck sat on the ground, a few tears running down his face. He knew that Sarah cared about him, but she'd been ready to shoot Casey to save him.
But he'd heard everything Casey had said too, and knew that there was no way they'd let good old Chuck Bartowski, Nerd Herd employee, walk around with all their secrets for the rest of his life. If it wasn't them, it'd be someone else. He just be walking around one day and bam, he'd be dead.
Sometimes a man just had to accept his fate, and play the hand dealt to him. Life was like that.
Wiping the tears from his face, he climbed to his feet, and walked back to where the Nerd Herder was parked. He may have to go, but there were some things he had to do before he went. He'd only need a couple of hours.
As he got into the car and turned toward the hospital, he marvelled at the fact that his first thought had been the hope that Sarah, his appointed executioner, wouldn't be worried about him while he was out.
With a rueful laugh, he continued into LA traffic for one of the last times.
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